The present disclosure relates to a splitter operation performed on a PDF/VT file at the client device for rendering output at a printer device. More specifically, the splitter operation divides a catalog tree into multiple branches. The printer device uses relevant tree portions when processing corresponding chunks.
Portable Document Format (“PDF”) is a commonly used standard for representing a finished document as fixed content after the document is formatted. A relatively newer standard is a PDF/VT file, which is a type of PDF file for exchange of variable data and transactional (VT) printing. Generally, the fixed content portion of the PDF functions as a template, which is adapted for use in multiple renderings. Each rendering process undergoes a merge with variable data for providing printout or display output with variable content.
In a conventional approach, the PDF/VT file is processed at a printer device for rendering output and receiving finishing operations. Mainly, the PDF/VT file is divided into multiple chunks using a splitter included in the printer device. Each split chunk is a self-contained, PDL file which is part of a larger set of chunks defining the complete job. The chunks are oftentimes split in interleave fashion to improve processing time.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional splitter operation 10 according to the prior art. The method starts at S12. A printer device receives a print instruction for rendering a document at S14. A splitter, included in the printer device, splits the document pages into multiple chunks at S16. A raster image is generated for each chunk using at least one raster image processor (“RIP”) at S18. The raster data is collected and reassembled into correct order at S20. The image rendering components in the printer device use the raster data to render the document at S22. The method ends at S24.
While the RIP interprets the text and graphics information described in the PDF, set based operations are provided in a Dpart catalog. The PDF/VT file can include a catalog tree, known as the Dpart catalog, which contains metadata that can be used for the variable rendering of the contents defined within the PDF pages. An accompanying JDF includes directions for how the metadata is to be used by the RIP, the print system, and the finishing systems. In other words, the Dpart catalog includes instructions and boundary information for applying, for example, finishing operations to select areas in the rendered document. The catalog tree is distributed among the appropriate root, set, and document and sub-document level. The commands in the catalog tree are analyzed and applied to the corresponding pages and/or images in the RIPped job. In one illustrative example, the metadata can include recipient data, such as, a ZIP code, which the JDF specifies to be printed on different grades of media stock.
One problem with the conventional approach is that boundary information, which is needed to apply the set based operations, can be lost when the PDF/VT file is split in interleave fashion. Generally, the printer device malfunctions and ceases the print operation when the boundary information in the catalog tree does not match, or cannot be performed on, the corresponding page in the raster data.
One potential solution would be to include a full copy of the catalog into each split chunk. However, a long job, with a large memory footprint, can result in processing delays.
There is desired an improved splitting operation that reduces delays in the print operation. A system and method are desired which include a client-based splitter to take processing burden away from the DFE-based splitter, thus improving performance time for the RIPing/imaging processes of the PDF/VT job and the image output terminal (“IOT”), i.e., the printer's, rated speed.